1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to personal motorized vehicles, specifically to a motorized, skateboard-like vehicle whose speed and direction can be controlled entirely by the feet of its rider.
2. Description of Prior Art
Skateboards
Skateboards have enjoyed popularity in recent years for several reasons. One is that skateboards are relatively simple and inexpensive. Another is that a skateboard can be ridden hands-free which allows the rider's hands to do something else, like carry something. The skateboard's small size also permits it to be stored without difficulty and carried easily when it is not being ridden.
The popularity of skateboards, however, has been limited in part because they are difficult to ride. Propelling a skateboard requires significant balance and coordination. The rider's weight must supported while the rider steers with one foot and applies a propelling force against the ground with the other foot. It follows that skateboards have not been attractive to non-risk takers or those who feel they might be somewhat uncoordinated.
Skateboards also do not have their own power source, making them unsuitable for non-athletic people or those in dressy or business attire. Furthermore, the small, hard wheels on skateboards make them very difficult to ride on rough or rocky surfaces and largely unsuitable for unpaved surfaces.
Foldable Kick Scooters
Kick scooters have become a practical alternative to riders who may see the skateboard as too difficult or risky to ride. They have handlebars, making them easier to steer and balance. Although not as easy to carry or store as a skateboard, they can be folded when not being ridden. This makes them fairly manageable when not in use.
Kick scooters, however, are not powered and have enjoyed little popularity among teens and adults. They are regarded primarily as toys for children.
Motorized Kick Scooters
The advent of the foldable Kick scooter has given rise to a number of motorized versions. Some of these are electric and others are gasoline-powered. These electric scooters generally feature one or two rechargeable batteries with a 12 or 24 volt DC motor. The speed of these devices is sometimes controlled by a simple on-off finger-operated lever switch. More sophisticated vehicles use a variable speed control mechanism. This is usually a throttle lever or a motorcycle type twistable handgrip. The variable speed versions typically utilize Pulse-Width-Modulated (PWM) electronic motor controllers. PWM motor controllers are used because they make efficient use of the finite power available from the scooter's batteries.
The gasoline-powered versions, often referred to as “Go-peds,” are generally powered by small two-stroke internal combustion engines like those used in gas-powered weed cutters and hedge trimmers. Go-peds tend to be faster than the electric versions, but they also create more noise. Go-peds are disfavored in quiet neighborhoods for this reason.
While motorized kick scooters have enjoyed some popularity, they lack some of the advantages of skateboards. They are larger and more difficult to carry and store. They also cannot be ridden hands-free as a skateboard can.
Motorized Skateboards
Individuals have mounted small motors on skateboards to aid in propulsion. There are at least two electric-powered skateboards which are commercially available. Motorized skateboards generally employ a hand-held throttle connected to the drive unit either by cable, wire, or a wireless radio control system.
While interesting, these motorized skateboards have not been particularly popular. One reason for this is they lose one of the conventional skateboard's primary advantages, namely its ability to be ridden hands-free. Motorized skateboards also suffer on rough or rocky surfaces because of their small, hard wheels.